L'Occitane Classic Advent Calendar Review & Contents

This calendar was very kindly gifted to me, without obligation.

I know that some people may think that it's too early for anything Christmassy, but (apart from the fact that it's NEVER too early for anything to do with Christmas, in my books) like I said in this post last week, I feel that 2020 has been such a tough year for so many people, that the promise of twinkling lights, the sending of Christmas cards (yes, I'm still that old school person) and festive tunes, that somehow bring the promise that everything will be okay (if even just for a few days), is something that we all need in our lives.  Speaking of which - a slight tangent, but please,  please, do all that you can now to stop the spread of Covid so that people will get to spend Christmas with their families (that's the bonus, the real reason is to save lives). It's in our hands to stop the spread - wash your hands, wear a mask, keep your distance, and ask yourself if that trip out is truly necessary, because by acting now, we can save Christmas (Hollywood movie style), otherwise, with numbers rising, there will be a lot of very lonely people this year who will be having Christmas dinner via Zoom with their family.  If you have a large following, please use your influence in a positive way by showing younger people, who may look up to you that they are not exempt from this virus - it will kill at random, there is nobody immune. I'm sorry to start this post on, what some might say, is a negative note, but I'm speaking from personal experience. I got a very bad case of Covid, I'm still breathless, still have a racing heart, temperature, pain in places you couldn't possibly imagine and hair falling out, despite the fact that I was extremely careful.  Those are just some of the symptoms, which are still lingering, so whilst I am really glad that we have Christmas and all it's fun to look forward to, please do bear in mind that your actions NOW will decide whether you get to spend it with your family and whether others will have an empty space at their table this year.

Back on topic! Today, I'm talking about the L'Occitane Classic Advent Calendar*. Every year, L'Occitane release two calendars, for two budgets, which I think is brilliant because at this stage, it seems that every brand has hopped on the Advent Calendar bandwagon and a lot are around the £200 mark, which is sometimes a person's entire Christmas budget! Don't get me wrong, they look amazing, but that's a lot of money to shell out at an already expensive time of year! Regular readers will know that L'Occitane is probably my favourite bath & body brand and it is through the calendars in previous years, that I discovered some of ranges that I hadn't previously tried and then fell in love with them. This calendar contains bath, body, hair and skincare products, so it really is the perfect mix. I know that some people don't want to know what is in the calendar, so I will let you know when I get to the spoiler alert stage!

Seasonal skincare switch up/additions

When the season changes, my skincare, makeup and wardrobe tend to too (revolutionary!). Today, I want to share some of the products I've added into my routine (there are year-round staples but these are additions) now that the season has changed (I still can't believe that it's Autumn!). I tend to make sure that products are really nourishing so there's nothing gel textured, in terms of moisturiser or eye cream. Everything focusing on locking moisture in as we start to use the central heating and open fire. Also, don't forget that SPF still needs to be used daily, even if the sky is as dull as dishwater outside (I'm currently using Bioderma*, and don't forget your hands as they are exposed to the rays more than your body) ! Anything marked with a * was kindly gifted to me, without obligation. I'm not going to list every single product that I use, but the ones that have been added into my routine and used more regularly than over the summer months.

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand Dupes

We all know that Charlotte Tilbury makeup is expensive, so if you can find a product that works pretty much in the same way, at a fraction of a price, I think it's good to share! Even better, when you might actually prefer the dupes, but I'll tell you why later. What I'm talking about is her Beauty Light Wands, which I bought as soon as the original was released. I generally prefer cream or liquid products, as my skin is dry, so I was happy when she extended her line to include blushes as well as a highlight. I have only ever raved about these wands but then Sculpted By Aimee Liquid Lights Blush and Highlight Duo came along....

3 treats for 3 budgets....

It's that time of the month again, when some people get an itch to treat themselves to something and I have three fantastic products to share with you today, starting with a palette that is amazing value!

5 non-beauty loves.......

I rarely speak about my non-beauty loves on here, but there are plenty! Lifestyle is something I had planned on including more of in 2020 but that kinda fell by the wayside with the arrival of Covid and huge dip in my health - I'm basically still in lockdown! Hopefully 2021 is the year that I can include more of that category, but for now we'll settle for some non-beauty items that I've been loving! I'd also love your thoughts on Huggie Earrings as I have been thinking of buying some - basically, I'm thinking of adding some jewellery to my collection that I can wear on an everyday basis (so hoops are obviously out and I have diamond studs but don't wear those daily so I need something that isn't a huge statement but is still noticeable), with minimal makeup, nails done, brows tinted and some perfume, so that even if I feel rubbish and am in very casual clothes (or pjs), I still feel like me and don't just see an ill person when I look in the mirror! Do you think there's any age limit for wearing huggies without looking like you're a try-hard or past it? Anyway, on to my current non-beauty loves!

Kora Organics - do I look like Miranda Kerr yet?

These products were kindly gifted to me by Cult Beauty, without any obligation. 

Miranda Kerr hasn't aged since she first came on the scene back in the mid-noughties, despite having had two children. She looks as fresh faced as she's ever been! When she released her own line of organic, cruelty-free, results-driven skincare, powered by superfood extracts, named Kora Organics, I couldn't wait to get my hands on some products. It's a curated line, with 10 products in total and Cult Beauty kindly sent me four to test around five weeks ago and I want to share my thoughts with you today. Spoiler alert - I already want to buy the rest of the range!

Is Charlotte Tilbury Push Up Mascara worth the hype?

When Charlotte Tilbury first released her collection in 2014, I was very excited and I lusted after so many of her products and eventually tried most of them (not in all shades, obviously), but in the last 6-9 months, I've found myself shunning the brand to an extent because of the constant churning out of new products every 3 weeks that are all deemed to be 'magical' and life-changing'. When a brand releases makeup so frequently, it no longer feels special and this is a real shame as I would have said that it was my favourite makeup brand a few years ago. Also, the people who handle their PR seem to get it all wrong - when you see bloggers just opening large packages on their Instastories and saying that their mother would love this and their sister would love that, it tells us nothing about the product, apart from the fact that they've received a big package that they'll distribute among friends and family and maybe do one Instagram photo of them wearing one product, out of a large number (plus it's always the same few, predictable faces who never seem to spend their own money on her products). To me, it sends out the wrong message - just have big names holding your products and that will suffice, rather than considering smaller bloggers who will actually use and review the product. I've been told privately on Instagram from someone who works in a pharmacy that products that big bloggers rave about are now very slow to sell, whereas a few years ago, if they just mentioned them, they sold out instantly - there is less trust when there are no actual reviews or only paid reviews. Maybe the PR need to re-think their strategy and I don't say this because I don't receive PR from them, I say it because I am also a consumer and I like to see a variety of actual reviews, not just photos! Also, all through lockdown, when a lot of people weren't earning, were losing loved ones or were ill themselves, the brand churned out product after product, whereas other brands were more sensitive to the fact that there was a global pandemic and delayed some releases. All of that being said, Charlotte does have some truly beautiful products, which is why I still buy some, but certainly nowhere near as many as I used to.

Dermalogica Hydro Masque Exfoliant Review

I'm lucky to have been part of the Dermalogica Skinfluencer* programme for around 18 months now, which is a real thrill, having been a fan and user of the brand for around 16 years, so I get excited when they release a new product. I love that they only send products that they think will suit your skin type, rather than just a blanket send out, which could be wasteful. I knew that their latest release would be right up my street so I was delighted when the Hydro Masque Exfoliant* landed through my letterbox! I just saw the words hydrating, exfoliating and 5 minutes and knew it'd be right up my street.....

5 current loves from MAC - 1 old and 4 new!

When I saw (last year some time) that MAC were collaborating with Sam and Nic Chapman, I was excited to see what they'd produce. I've followed the talented makeup artists for years and I feel that it's a shame that their release coincides with a time when we all need to wear masks as much as possible, as that's bound to affect sales of lip products. That said, because these are limited edition, I think that if you like the look of either of them, you should snap them up to wear in the future when we can be mask-free - whenever that is!  While I was ordering Nic's lipstick, I also ordered a few other bits that had been on my wishlist for a while, which I want to share with you today, alongside an old favourite that I've been buying for over 20 years and was actually my first MAC purchase - Spice Lip Pencil.  Sam created a dreamy red shade but as I very rarely wear red, I skipped it and decided to buy Nic's perfect nude shade.

Olaplex No 0 Intensive Bond Building Kit - worth the hype?

I mentioned in my Covid - six month update post, that my hair has been falling out (which I have seen/heard other people say has happened to them too), so I am trying everything I can to take care of my hair, slow the loss down and even (hopefully) reverse it. I've been using Olaplex No 3 for around 18 months now, and have seen great results in the structure/strength and elasticity of my hair, so when I have that they were releasing a No 0 Intensive Bond Building Kit, I ordered it immediately. It was released in the U.S. before here, so I actually ordered from Sephora so that I could get started with it as soon as possible.  

My top picks from the Omorovicza Hydro Mineral Collection

Some products were gifted to me, without obligation and are marked with a * below but I buy from this brand all of the time!

We all know by now that Omorovicza is my favourite skincare brand and I recommend that everyone tries some of their products, if they are within their budget. (My LYMIN code works for 20% off on Look Fantastic). I previously reviewed the Gold Collection here and the Silver collection here, so today it's the turn of the Hydro Mineral Collection. Rather than share everything fro the collection, I'm sharing my top picks. This collection is powered by their patented Healing Concentrate™, which makes it perfect for sensitive skin, but it is also aimed at firming and increasing the suppleness of the skin. There's something here for everyone! Some of these products were kindly sent to me (marked with * but I have purchased all of them myself several times over the past five years, since I first discovered this brand).